Sealplate stiffener ring for airbrake service portion cover

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a stiffening member for the cover of a pressurized container for fluids such as air, particularly to a stiffening member for the cover of such body. It is particularly designed as a seal plate stiffener ring for an airbrake service portion cover. The stiffening member preferably comprises a ring of rigid material having bolt holes therethrough corresponding to boltholes in the cover and in the body of the container with projections on the bottom of the stiffening member between the boltholes following the general contour of the cover in order to apply pressure between the cover and the body of the container between the boltholes. Preferably, the stiffening member is in the form of an elongated ring. In addition, projections may be provided on the bottom of the plate to provide pressure points on the cover.

United States Patent [72] inventor William R. Page Winnetka. Ill.

[2]] Appl No 16,084

[22] Filed Mar. 3. I970 [45 Patented Nov. 16, 1971 [73] Assignee P.E.P. Inventions Inc.

Chicago, Ill.

Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 857,453, Sept. 12, 1969. now abandoned. This application Mar. 3, I970, Ser. No. 16.084

[54] SEALPLATE STIFFENER RING FOR AIRBRAKE SERVICE PORTION COVER 7 Claims, 14 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl... 277/237, 220/46 MS [51] Int. Cl...... B65d 55/00 [50] Field of Search. 277/237;

56746 R 46 MS 6] 7 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,353,589 7/ l 944 Sandgezg .4 220/46 MS 2.604.507 7/1952 Tyson 220/46 MS 2.743.032 4/1956 Snieg 220/46 MS Primary Examiner-Robert 1. Smith Attorney-Gradolph, Love, Rogers & Van Sciver ABSTRACT: The invention relates to a stiffening member for the cover of a pressurized container for fluids such as air, particularly to a stiffening member for the cover of such body. It is particularly designed as a seal plate stiffener ring for an airbrake service portion cover. The stiffening member preferably comprises a ring of rigid material having bolt holes therethrough corresponding to boltholes in the cover and in the body of the container with projections on the bottom of the stiffening member between the boltholes following the general contour of the cover in order to apply pressure between the cover and the body of the container between the boltholes, Preferably, the stiffening member is in the form of an elongated ring. In addition, projections may be provided on the bottom of the plate to provide pressure points on the cover.

SEALPLATE STIFFENER RING FOR AIRBRAKE SERVICE PORTION COVER CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED PATENTS This is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. 857,453, filed Sept. 12, 1969 for Seal Plate Stiffener Ring For Airbrake Service Portion Cover" and now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a stiffener for a cover of a pressurized container such as, for example, the airbrake valve on a railroad car.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the prior art back covers for AB valves, which is the operating device used on freight cars for operating airbrakes, lacked sufficient stiffness to properly compress the sealing gasket used therewith. The lack of stiffness allowed such covers to become distorted which resulted in sealing pressure leaks. The more modern design of cover has additional stiffeners built in.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The purpose of the present invention is to permit the use of the old cover by adding external stiffening at a more economical price than substituting an entirely new cover. The design of the seal plate is such that fits around the periphery of the cover with boltholes to match the holes in the cover. Sufficient clearance is provided under the boltholes of the seal plate, while at the same time offsets are provided that bring the seal plate into contact with the cover at key points between the boltholes. When the bolts are inserted and tightened, the seal plate exerts pressure on the cover between the boltholes with sufficient force to properly provide for compression of the gasket at all points thereby assuring an airtight and leakproo seal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a seal plate illustrating one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the seal plate shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the seal plate taken on line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the seal plate taken on line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a seal plate illustrating a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the seal plate shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the seal plate shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the seal plate taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the seal plate taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of a seal plate illustrating a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a bottom plan view of the seal plate shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a side view of the seal plate shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of the seal plate shown in FIG. 10 taken on line 13-13 thereof; and

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the seal plate taken of line 14-14 of FIG. 10.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring specifically to the drawings, the seal plate 12 is in the form ofa stiffening ring 13 as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The stiffening member is preferably made of a casting and is in the form of a ring for lightness and economy. The ring 13 is provided with an aperture 14 which follows generally the contour of the ring 13. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the seal plate 12 is adapted to be placed over a valve cover 11 which valve is partially shown at 10 with a gasket 9 inserted between the cover 11 and the valve body 10.

Boltholes 15 are provided about the periphery of the ring l3 in positions corresponding with threaded holes 7 and 8 in the valve body 10 and the cover 11. Bolts 6, only one of which is shown in FIG. 3, extend through the holes 15 in the ring 13 and are threaded into the holes 7 and 8 in the valve body 10 and the cover 11 to compress the gasket 9 therebetween when the bolts are tightened.

The stiffening ring 13 includes two portions at the top thereof 16 and 17, one of which is best shown in FIG. 3 is slightly raised above the other.

Raised ribs or elongated ridges 18, 19, 21, 22 and 25 are provided and extend between the boltholes 15 on the sides of the stiffening ring 13.

Raised ribs or elongated ridges also are provided at the edge portions of the ring 13 and are shown at 23 and 26.

When the bolts 6 are tightened the aforesaid ribs or ridges bear against the cover plate 11 between the boltholes l5 and insure that the cover 11 is in proper sealing relationship with the valve body 10 and that the gasket 9 is evenly compressed therebetween to provide an airtight seal.

Referring specifically to FIGS. 5-9 for a detailed description of the second embodiment of the invention, numeral 30 designates the seal plate generally in the form of an elongated ring 31 with the hole in the ring designated at 32. Boltholes 33 are provided in the ring 31, and projections 34 and 35 are provided in the surface of the ring 31 to provide for two raised boltholes 33.

The bottom of the ring 31 is provided with a strengthening bar or projection 36 and with a strengthening rib 38 which extends a substantial distance along one edge of the bottom of the ring. The ring is also provided with an upward offset 37 to conform with the standard airbrake valve casing cover. The ring is secured to the cover by bolts (not shown) in the same manner as the ring of the first embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-4.

Referring specifically to FIGS. 10-14 for a detailed description of the third embodiment of the invention, numeral 40 designates the seal plate generally in the form of an elongated ring 41 with the hole in the ring designated at 42. Boltholes 43 are provided in the ring 41 and projections 44 and 45 are provided in the surface of the ring to provide for two raised boltholes 43.

The bottom of the ring 41 is provided with bars or projections 46, 47 and 48 at the various portions of the ring as best shown in FIG. 11. The bottom of the ring 41 is also provided with a rib 49 which extends a substantial distance along one edge of the bottom of the ring. The ring is also provided with an offset 50 to conform with the standard airbrak'e valvecasing cover. The projections 46, 47 and 48, and the rib 49 provide stiffening for the ring and also pressure points for contacting the cover to assure sealing.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided stiffening members for pressurized containers which assure sealing and are an inexpensive means for stiffening and providing proper sealing of existing containers, such as those used for airbrake valves.

Iclaim:

l. A stiffening member for the cover of a pressurized container for fluid, said container comprising a body, a cover for the body, matching sealing surfaces on the cover and the body means for sealing the matching surfaces on the cover and the body to prevent the escape of fluid from the container, including fastening means extending through the stiffening member the cover and the body, said stiffening member having an upper surface and a lower surface and having openings through which the fastening members extend and projections on the lower surface contacting the cover when the fastening means are secured, said projections extending betwecn the apertures for the fastening means.

2. A stiffening member as claimed in claim 1 wherein said member comprises a ring of material open at its center.

3. A stiffening member as claimed in claim 1 wherein said projections are elongated in shape.

4. A stiffening member as claimed in claim 1 wherein one of said projections extends partially about the periphery of the ring.

5. A stiffening member as claimed in claim 1 wherein the material surrounding one of the openings on the top of the ring is raised.

6. A stiffening member as claimed in claim 1 wherein said projections are provided on the lower surface of said ring between at least three locations of said openings.

7. A stiffening member for the cover of a pressurized container for fluid, said container comprising a body, acover for the body, matching sealing surfaces on the cover and the body means for sealing the matching surfaces on the cover and the body to prevent the escape of fluid from the container, including fastening means extending through the stiffening member, the cover and the body, said stiffening member having an upper surface and a lower surface and having openings through which the fastening members extend and a projection on the lower surface contacting the cover when the fastening means are secured, said projection extending between two of the apertures for the fastening means. 

1. A stiffening member for the cover of a pressurized container for fluid, said container comprising a body, a cover for the body, matching sealing surfaces on the cover and the body means for sealing the matching surfaces on the cover and the body to prevent the escape of fluid from the container, including fastening means extending through the stiffening member the cover and the body, said stiffening member having an upper surface and a lower surface and having openings through which the fastening members extend and projections on the lower surface contacting the cover when the fastening means are secured, said projections extending between the apertures for the fastening means.
 2. A stiffening member as claimed in claim 1 wherein said member comprises a ring of material open at its center.
 3. A stiffening member as claimed in claim 1 wherein said projections are elongated in shape.
 4. A stiffening member as claimed in claim 1 wherein one of said projections extends partially about the periphery of the ring.
 5. A stiffening member as claimed in claim 1 wherein the material surrounding one of the openings on the top of the ring is raised.
 6. A stiffening member as claimed in claim 1 wherein said projections are provided on the lower surface of said ring between at least three locations of said openings.
 7. A stiffening member for the cover of a pressurized container for fluid, said container comprising a body, a cover for the body, matching sealing surfaces on the cover and the body means for sealing the matching surfaces on the cover and the body to prevent the escape of fluid from the container, including fastening means extending through the stiffening member, the cover and the body, said stiffening member having an upper surface and a lower surface and having openings through which the fastening members extend and a projection on the lower surface contacting the cover when the fastening means are secured, said projection extending between two of the apertures for the fastening means. 